Indonesia tsunami: Death toll rises to over 1,200

The number of people known to have died in Indonesia in Friday’s earthquake and tsunami has risen to more than 1,200, the country’s disaster response agency says.

The death toll jumped on Tuesday from a previous confirmed figure of 844.

The 7.5-magnitude quake struck just off the central island of Sulawesi, setting off a tsunami that engulfed the coastal city of Palu.

People there are growing increasingly desperate for food, fuel and water.There are fears some survivors may still be trapped under the rubble of buildings.

Everyone we meet in Palu is focused on trying to get basic goods for their families. All normal services in the town have broken down and there’s little running water, power, food or drinking water. People are desperate.

We saw one group of armed police guarding a shop, being pressed by local people to let them in.

Suddenly the police shouted, warning everyone to back off, followed by volleys of shots fired in the air and tear gas. Some of the men threw stones at the police; for a moment it seemed it might escalate.